The
Bosniaks, or less commonly
Bosniacs, (/Бошњаци, ; singular masculine:
Bošnjak/Бошњак, feminine:
Bošnjakinja/Бошњакиња) are a
South Slavic nation and
ethnic group inhabiting mainly homeland
Bosnia and Herzegovina along with a native minority present in other countries of the
Balkan Peninsula; especially in the
Sandžak region of
Serbia and
Montenegro (where Bosniaks form a regional majority), in
Croatia, and in
Kosovo. Bosniaks are typically characterized by their historic tie to the
Bosnian historical region, traditional majority adherence to
Islam since the 15th and 16th centuries, common culture and
Bosnian language. In the
English-speaking world, Bosniaks are also frequently referred to as
Bosnian Muslims or simply
Bosnians, though the latter is also used to denote all inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina regardless of
ethnic origin or to describe
citizenship in the country.